Wasim Jaffer feels that a player like Cheteshwar Pujara should have been picked in the IPL

Former Indian batsman Wasim Jaffer who did not enjoy much success with India at the highest level believes that a brilliant player and Test performer like Cheteshwar Pujara should have been picked up in the Indian Premier League auction which was held in the month of February this year.

Jaffer is currently the coach-cum-mentor at a private clinic — Centre of Excellence Scheme, under MCC-Jwala Sports Foundation and believes that it is very disappointing that a technically sound player like Pujara does not get picked by any team.

“Obviously, it’s hard to digest. We all know the importance of Pujara in Test and First Class cricket. That India has won the recent series, I am sure people know the big role he has played. And to not pick a player like him in the IPL is very hard fact,” Jaffer was quoted as saying by DNA.

The right-handed batsman also spoke about the importance of playing all formats as makes a player more versatile and increases his ability to adapt to situations.

“I think today’s player should play all formats. Today’s player cannot live on one format. He has to be multi-dimensional where he can adapt all formats of the game”

He brought up the example of Virat Kohli speaking on the fact that basics remain the same no matter which format one is playing.

“At the same time, basics don’t change. We have seen Virat (Kohli) play. He doesn’t hit sixes with reverse sweeps or a Dilscoop, but he still scores 900 in an IPL season. Basics do not change which is very important”

“The challenge for today’s cricketers like Rohit (Sharma), Ajinkya (Rahane) or a Virat is that they have to adopt all formats of the game. Adaptability has increased a lot”

“Cricket has changed a lot from when we started. It was orthodox. Today kids want to play shots that AB de Villiers play. The game has changed, but the basics remains the same”